The 67th Annual Hunger Games: The Boy with the Dog
by DPalacpac
Summary: Aspen is a down to earth kid that is reaped for the 67th Annual Hunger Games. He finds himself tangled and confused over his fellow tribute, the Mayor's daughter Autumn Oaks. But In spite of the Hunger Games will they work together to claim victory? Or will they fall apart at the seams under pressure? Read to find out!
1. Knock on Wood

**Hi guys! This is a revamp from my previous story. If you read it then you will know some of the new characters and some of the same. This is more better and more thought through in detail! Please Review! I'm accepting any Ideas at the moment, and I will come out with stories every weekend! Please stick with me! Please critique anything!**

The axe was slender, the handle made from an old weathered piece of wood. It held together, though it has scratches and niches at the base of the handle. The metal was also beat up, it was smooth and rugged, but I knew the axe could handle the job. My hand gripped the handle tightly. It was balanced, and I had created a groove after years of using it. The handle was about the size of my forearm. Pulling it back I swung forward with all my strength. The small tree fell as the axe bounded through the entire width of its wood. Birch sat on the opposite side of me. He knew that if he sat across from me, the tree would come in hitting distance of him. He barked in approval. Taking to a near tree stump, I painstakingly chopped the wood into smaller pieces of lumber. Then after that I reached to the base of the stump and grabbed the twine, wrapping the pieces together into different bundles. I stood up, my arms ached, and I adjusted my shirt. The first of the morning rays began to shine through the trees. The smell of pine needles filled my nose. The rest of the workers would come in after the reaping, to begin their days work. But I, the only minor, had to get my rounds done beforehand. I had quite few more things to do. Birch got onto his feet. He was large; he came up to my waist. Labrador Retrievers were rare in Panem these days. I found him in the forest, as a pup. Since then I trained him to help me with my daily chores. I looked around. The dense trees made it hard to spot the small dirt path that dwindled its way through District 7. It was a popular source of transportation. I shoved the gloves in my back pocket, and grabbed the bundles, and my axe. Birch walked over to me, and took a small bundle in his mouth. Biting onto the twine lightly, so he wouldn't damage it. I began walking. My boots making little noise on the dirt. As we walked we stayed quite. Birch knew not to make excess noise that would scare game away. Although, entering the dense forest was illegal, most of the residents of District 7 trespassed anyway. There were no fences to keep anyone out. The capitol assumed that the dense trees and vigorous wildlife would scare us off.

It was the 1st of November. Reapings were always held today. No matter what happened. The cool autumn breeze rolled in, older folks spent their time outdoors. During this time of year, Meadow would open all the windows, and let the cool air flow through the cabin. Meadow was my older sister. She was in her early 20's and she kept a steady job at the Paper Mill. Usually, women worked there and the men worked in the forests. Cutting lumber, and delivering it around. When my parents died I had to begin work earlier than usual. At fourteen I could barely lift the axe. Kids would start to have to work at the age of 17. The younger kids would have to find work at the Paper Mill. But I refused to work there. It required too much intricacy. So I took my father's old axe and began chopping down trees. I was a laughing stock, until I began to gain strength. Now I haul the most over the lazy older men. I pushed the hair off of my forehead, and switched the bundles between my arms. I was used to the scratch of the rough wood on my skin. Except I made sure to be careful because one of the larger splinters could easily cut into my skin. These types of injuries were typical in 7. Most people have lost fingers from axe accidents, and some even have lost their lives to the heavy weight of trees falling on them. That is why I promised Meadow I would stay out of were the large population worked, and would keep to my own. As we walked the trees cleared. Sitting in the middle was a large bin. It was quite large but my eyes could clear the top. I was about 6 feet. On the floor next to the dumpster sat shreds of wood, and debris. Birch gave me his bundle. I trained him to know a certain routine. He was scared to walk off of the dirt path because he once got a chunk of wood stuck in the abscess of his paw. I had to hold him down and remove it. Resulting in scratched from his nails. I threw all of my wood into the bin except for one. Rules were that the bin would have to be full before sundown or else they would lock the entrance gates to the lumber area, until it was filled. It happened before, even to me. We were kept in like rats in a cage until we finally scrambled enough to fill the dumpster. The capitol also collected the larger trees that were taken away by hovercraft, to some other District to be put to use. It was ironic, even after almost 70 years; the forest still was dense and looked untouched. I walked back to the path, and Birch obediently followed me.

After several more minutes of walking we made it back to town. District 7 was a nature phenomenon. We only cleared away the trees that were absolutely needed to be cut down to build our houses. The cabins we lived in were very small. With 2 rooms and a kitchen, and a bathroom. It could only house small families. Building lumber was expensive, so people made with what they had.

I knew most of D7. I made a good name for myself. But I was mostly referred to as the boy that lost his parents. I remember the day so clearly. My parents were at home, and I was out doing my rounds, my sister came along just to help me carry the wood. Birch was a puppy back then so he keeps a steady distance behind us. Wagging his tail and sniffing around on the wild growth. When we returned home, our house was ablaze. People were rushing into to try to get my parents out but it was too late. The roof collapsed, and my parent died from burns. At their funeral most of the District showed up. Each showing their condolences to Meadow and I. My sister was 18 at the time, so I was not forced into an orphanage. We built a new house on the other side near the edge of the forest. Neither of us could bare living on the same ground that it happened on.

I walked through a bigger dirt path. This was one of the main paths to the main clearing. The main clearing was a large space, where trees were cleared when District 7 was first made. It was housed a big stage, and shops that surrounded the outskirts. It sat across from Victors Village, and they Mayor's House sat behind the Justice Building. As I walked Birch stayed close to my side. I knew he disliked strangers, and I sped up my walk for his sake. Walking into the Clearing we made our way to the Mayor's House. It was one of the largest houses in District 7. Most of us lived in small cabins made from the excess wood that we chopped ourselves, but the mayor's house was made by the Capitol. It had many windows, and the wild plants, and grass that lived in their boundaries were neatly cut. I made my usual way around the house. I avoided walking on the grass; the mud from my boots would make filthy dents in its perfection. I walked along the small white picket fence to the back of the house. Birch wagged his tail loudly, and kept his attention to other things nearby. Stepping on the porch I knocked loudly on the back-door. It was usual for the Mayor's house to be filled with loud piano music. I could hear the sounds of sheet music, being abruptly stopped at moments when the wrong note would be played. A large window stooped near the back door, and I looked inside. One of the Mayor's daughters were sitting at the grand piano, and playing off of the lines and lines of sheet music in front of her. It was Tulip. She was a soft spoken small girl; She spent her time mostly at the piano, playing any type of songs she could recall. From what Meadow has told me, she does not work at the paper mill along with the other girls. It was accepted that the Mayor and his family were help higher than the rest of the hard working residents. Mayor Oak was a nice man. He was generous, and tried his best to look out for the rest of our District. His demeanors led him to be easily walked over. He was lenient with us also. Peacekeepers have given up on trying keeping people out of the deep woods, but that was impossible. District 7 did not have any fences or barricades, due to the fact that there were millions of trees in the main perimeter of our small District, and for them to keep us from cutting down those protected ones would be useless.

The door was opened and I was greeted by the usual Mrs. Oak. She was a dainty woman who dressed neatly and dedicated herself to the gossip of the District. Her and several other high end, District 7 wives would meet once a week to share the scandalous secrets of the people living within our borders. Smiling to me she accepted the wood bundle.

"I'll be right back." She said steadily walking down the hall and into a room. Several noises were made and she appeared back, with a bag. She had a hard time carrying the large burlap sack, and she handed it to me. Both of her arms used to support the contents up. I grabbed it with ease. It was filled to the top with shiny green apples. When my parents died, Meadows small paycheck was barely enough to keep us alive. We had gone days without eating. I met the Mayor on my way to work, and he offered a trade. I reluctantly accepted not know whether it would work. Mayor Oak had a large orchard of apple trees in his back yard. His daughters each morning would retrieve as many apples as they could and fill the bag. The Mayor's family had no way of retrieving wood, since none of them worked at the Grove.

"One more thing, Aspen could you retrieve my daughter from down the way, she's at the Orchard. It is becoming late, and the reaping is just around the corner! Just tell her to come back home."

"Sure, Tell Tulip I said Good luck." I said with a smile. Mrs. Oak closed the door, and the loud thump shocked Birch onto all fours. His tail wagged faster, and he looked to my face for direction.

"Were heading to the Orchard." I said, he emitted a loud whine. "Fine, then you head home and I'll see you at the Reaping." And with that Birch took off into the winding dirt paths on the way to our small Cabin. I trusted that Birch wouldn't run away, we've know each other to long for that nonsense. For some reason it always puzzled me how Birch knew exactly what I was saying at times. He was hot headed, yet he kept his temper around me. My axe was sweaty in the palm of my hand, so I shifted it to my left arm. Down the Dirt path to the left was the orchards. It was concealed from the Clearing by dense trees, and wildlife. I turned to look upon the giant trees the bore over my head. Each tree harvesting over hundreds of apples. They were scattered and grew unorganized. It was easy to become lost. I passed several more trees to see Autumn Oak. She was a graceful girl. Her hair was a charcoal black. I stood behind one of the tall trees, and watched her. She was running around, twirling and jumping at random. I was puzzled at the sight until I remembered the familiarity. She was dancing. Weaving between trees, and throwing her arms in the air. It was uncommon to find people dancing. These days people took no time with personal pleasures, all of us were trying to survive. It was a broken tradition from before the war. I admired her dancing. She wore a white dress that stopped at her knees, and flowed behind her when she twirled. He hair would swiftly fly, and twist and curve. Then something went wrong. She seemed so involved with her spinning that she had lost her balance, landing inside a bush. Her face turned from happy to scared. I could hear a small yelp, as she got to her feet and slowly walked backwards. Erupting from the bush was a dark black wolf. Its ears perched with attention. It softly growled which seemed to get louder and louder. The wolf took slow step towards her when she took a step back. I saw the same look on the wolf's face that I did when Birch was on the verge of attacking someone. It bared its teeth, and just as it was about to jump onto her, I ran and tackled it with full force. I found myself on the ground wrestling the wolf; its claws buried themselves in my arm, and its teeth threated to bear down into my throat. I pushed the wolf off of me, but it regained its posture landing on all fours. The wolf then began to run towards me, and I heard a shard tumble of dirt sliding next to me. The wolf jumped, my hand laid on something metal and before it landed onto me I swung the axe into its head. My heart was racing, and I took into account that I had long scratches across my arm. Pushing the wolf's limp body weight, I pulled the axe from his head. _I killed this animal._ My mind managed to scramble. Autumn was already to my pulling me up off the ground. She wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Thank you so much." She said. I pulled away from her knowing that my shirt was covered with blood. She immediately released me and I suddenly became conscious of the cuts on my arms. Autumn helped me drag the dead body between several dense bushes. I stood there looking at its cold heartless eyes. _How could I have done this?_

"How did you know I was in trouble?" Autumn asked. I looked to the ground immediately. Should I tell her that I was watching her? No, she'd think I was a creep.

"I was on my way over here to tell you that your mother wants you back home immediately."

"Oh. Well, thank you very much Aspen. I would have been the one laying in the bushes if it wasn't for you." And with that, she was down the paths and far from my sight. _She knew my name._ I happily thought to myself. It was about noon and I walked back home. The air was cool, and the towering trees around me gave us closure from the dense sunlight. I wiped the blood off of the axe in the small stream that flowed near our house, and laid the sack of apples onto the small porch. I perched the axe in a gloss of sunlight that had taken to the railing. I didn't want to think about how I took a life with my own father's axe.

Walking into the cabin, I could hear Birch bounding down the hall in an instant. He cautiously smelled the shirt, and took evaluation of my health. Meadow from the kitchen spotted my blood shirt, and came to me.

"What the hell happened?" she said. A validated look of worry overtook her face. She began to rip off the shirt that I was wearing.

"Nothing." I said. I did not want to reveal anything about today to anyone. Not even the only person I have left.

I tried to walk down the hall, but a hand pulled my shoulder back. I turned to see Meadow, shorter than me, look me into the eyes.

"What Happened?" I gave her the look. It was something that Meadow and I had developed after years of living with each other. We used it only in times of dire need. And with this, Meadow understood. "Well if I have one peacekeeper show up to this door, I will lose it."

I kept my way down the hall with a small grin. Meadow trusted me enough that I would not do something that shame our names. Birch followed me; I could feel his nose bump into my leg every time I took a step. I opened my door which revealed my room. It was the smallest room in the house. Meadow had the loft, and we mutually spent our time in the tiny living room and the kitchen. A large window faced the woods. During the early mornings I would find myself staring into its depths, watching the iridescent changes that took place before my eyes. Wildlife occasionally found its way into town, and some of the residents would have to scare them away. My hands fumbled under my bed for the familiar box. It was a flat leather box that had been italicized with gold metal around it. I felt for the two clips that guarded the front of it, Clicking them I opened the top carefully. I unfolded the soft blue button up. I could smell the aroma of alpine on it. Then, I took out the suspenders, that were worn, and a dark black. It was one of the last things that my father gave me before he died.

Changing, I pushed my hair back, and looked at myself in the grimy mirror I looked like my father. It was something that I was told all of the time by the older people of this town. They would remember the days where he would run to their doorsteps delivering wood, and adventuring deep in the woods. I turned away from the mirror. Meadow and Birch were the only family I needed. I tried my best not to worry about the past, but it seemed to keep resurfacing.

I smoothed out the pants, and walked down the hall. It was about 1-o-clock. I walked into the living room where Meadow was walking around shifting random things in our household around. Her eyes darted to my arm, and she motioned me to the kitchen. I rolled my sleeves making sure that no blood soiled the inside of the shirt. We walked to the sink where she washed it. Reaching far beneath the kitchen sink she retrieved a dark bottle from the back.

"This is going to sting." She said, as she poured the contents onto the cut. Immediately, the cut sealed and left a long scar.

"Where did you get that?" I asked, surely I would have stumbled across this after countless years of scavenging through our drawers.

"It was from the paper mill, when the girls would get cuts from the paper, the head worker would pour this on it and it would heal it right up. When they weren't looking I grabbed the extra one from under the cabinet, and now I use it for the people who come in." Meadow was clever, and smart. Yet it worried me that she would go to these lengths for her patients. Meadow was a natural born healer, and once people figured out that she could take out a splinter, people were lined outside of our house waiting to be treated. Now the number of her patients has dwindled from her successfully treating them. She takes on the job of treating everyone. Sometimes she hauls in drunks who have cut their sides, and other times she has taken in small children for illness. The people in District 7 have a deep respect for the Cedars. We try our best to carry out what our parents would have wanted us to do.

I laid a kiss to her forehead, and left her with Birch. They would come around two. The kids usually had to show up earlier to the reapings, lines would become lengthy the more close it gets to reaping time. I walked the small dirt path that led to the Clearing. My boots, scuffling against the rough dirt. I could spot the small tiny dust particles that danced around in my vision. I felt a tug on my wrist and remembered the small leather bracelet that was wrapped around it. It was wrapped in a tricky pattern that twisted, and braided around my arm. I wore it every day. I found that the best way to cope is to find routine. It also served as an outlet when I was nervous. I twisted it around, feeling the leather spin around my wrist.

The clearing had the Capitol's person touches added to it when I arrived. The stage was decked with lights, and had a plethora of different plants, and paper chandeliers hanging from them. The floor of the stage had been stained and polished so that it gave a sleek shine. Several chairs sat on the stage. In one of them sat Johanna Mason. She was one of the winners from previous years of the Hunger Games. She used her mind-tricks, and intelligence to make it to the final two where she buried the axe into her opponents head. She was a force to be reckoned with. It came to no surprise, that she was a ruthless killer. All of us knew of her hot temper, and her violent streak. She had been a source of fighting for years previously. All the victors had something that they do to get away with the time, and away from the memories. Johanna took to fighting. I remember her interview for the Victory tour she had decked her house with a fighting rink. Next to Johanna sat Vegas Zodiac. She was our escort from the capitol. It seemed that her style changed every year. One year she would come with her skin painted green, and the next she would have eyelashes longer than her fingers. This year was no exception. She had long hair that fell down to her knees. It was a shiny blonde that was streaked with purple. She wore a dress made completely from an opaque glass. Her shoes reminded me of ant eaters, and made her stand several feet taller. And finally her skin was covered with almost plastic cover. That gave her a sheen. She looked like she was uncomfortable yet she made a unrealistic large smile that stare all the new arriving people. Next to her sat the Mayor. He seemed to create little talk between Vegas, yet she was doing most of the talking. I walked to one of the shortest lines. Temporary iron bars made small boundaries for us to stand in. As the line disbursed into the large area, it was my turn. A small lady with white hair cut short to her head was sitting at the desk.

"Hand please." I stuck out my hand. Taking my index finger she put it over a miniscule hole, a sharp cut was felt in my finger and she directed my hand over to a small box where she wrote, 'Aspen Cedars'. The she flattened my wrist against the table, and slid it over a small square. A red laser was emitted, and my wrist had another bold line. I had 5 now that steadily went down my wrist. They were used to keep track of how old you were.

"You're done." She said. I walked into the perimeter of where all the kids were supposed to stand. Looking around I made my way to the 16-Boys section. Their stood a plethora of kids standing inside small sub categories of areas. I waved to several people I knew. Julie from school. Banning who was my neighbor. Sasha who helped me find Birch one time when he ran away. As I walked down the main column I spotted, Sarah Soverhad. She was the girl I was crushing on since the 7th grade. We knew of each other, we had subtle conversations in the hallways; we worked together at the 86th antique place when we had to intern for a school project. She was constantly sending me mixed signals. Some days she would be all over me, and the next day she wouldn't even look at me. I tried to keep friendly to her no matter how I was treated. Today was no exception.

"Hey!" I said as I walked over. She greeted me with a smile and hugged me.

"Hey! Are you nervous for today?" she said in a flat tone. I could tell she was trying to be nice but it was hard. For anyone. Our lives were on the line, and the nerves got to everyone.

"Of course, I pulled in the extra tesserae for the kids down th-". Before I could finish my sentence she was off. She walked right past me, and began talking to another boy. He was taller, although I was roughly 5'11. I could feel the blood rush to my face. I was disposable. I never knew why I chased after her. She was popular, and she had tons of friends. _Whatever_. I thought. _What does it matter? _Awkwardly, I walked back to our boundaries. I stood closely to the rest of the group do to the mass size of us. It seemed that all of us had trouble fitting inside the small iron rods. I stood near the front. Most 17 year olds and 18's were in front of me, yet I had a good view of the stage, and the surrounding parents. I swiveled my head back and forth looking for Meadow, and Birch. Yet at the far end I could see them. They were at the back corner, Meadow with her hand over her eyes trying to block out the sheer rays of the sun. Birch sat obediently next to her. Both of their eyes glued onto me, then onto the stage. I could feel the pressure now. The closer we came to the reaping the more nervous I became. The large clock that hung above the stage struck 2, and Vegas took her place to the stage.

"Hello, Hello everyone! Welcome to the Reaping of District 7 for the 67th Annual Hunger Games! Please settle in we will only be here a bit! Now I would like to thank the Mayor for his politeness during my stay, and to the Capitol for promoting me to solo Escort this year!" Vegas was usually paired with another escort, but last year he was caught smuggling food, and goods to the rest of the district, and was executed on spot. It was rumored that Vegas and him were having an affair, and once he died she knew her secret would be banished from society. "Now for the annual viewing of gratitude and remembrance!" Vegas to the back of the stage, and a large projection of pictures were viewed on the screen. President Snow narrated through the times of struggle, and how the Capitol prevailed after the Districts surrendered. The crowd was silent, just as they were every year. We were beaten down people, who kept our thought to ourselves. Once the video stopped, Vegas walked back to the microphone. "Now is the time to pick one courageous man and women to represent District 7, in the 67th Annual Hunger Games! Ladies first! And as a side note, let the odds be ever in your favor!" A peacekeeper walked onto the stage, and laid the giant ball on the table. He quickly stalked back to the line surrounding the stage; Video cameras zoomed in to Vegas for the suspenseful moment. Her hand reached into the bowl, and she shuffled the names around. Choosing one slip, she held it up to the air, and walked back to the microphone in short bursts. Her voice boomed across the Clearing.

"Autumn Oaks!" She said loudly. My head shot to the Mayor, who looked like a ghost. His knuckles were white against the chair. I could hear the shuffling of feet to my right, and I spotted Autumn in the main walkway. She wore the same white dress as she did this morning. My heart dropped and my hands clenched quickly to my sides. My pulse began to race. _But I just talked to her this morning, how could she have been picked? The odds were in her favor!_ It was sad to see the Mayor like this. His face was flat and emotionless. I looked to Autumn at the stage, her black hair flowed into loose curls, and her white dress blew with the breeze. I could she her eyes were beginning to gleam with water. _Don't cry_ I thought to myself, _this will be across Panem in the matter of seconds. _Yet she kept strong, she regained her posture and took a deep breath.

"Now, for our male tribute!" Vegas took to the second bowl, and reached inside. I could see her hand pull one slip out. It was held together with a small piece of black tape. My heart beat faster. As Vegas was about to speak into the microphone I turned to look to Meadow. Once my eyes met her eyes, the voice rang inside my ears.

"Aspen Cedars!" Meadow's hand quickly came to her mouth. I turned back around. My knees were weak, and I didn't think I could bare the weight to stand. My heart was going at a fast pace now. All the boys around me cleared away, they always do. My feet began to move. I felt the water rush to the back of my eyes. But no. I'll be damned if the Capitol would see my cry. I stood straighter and held my head up. Peacekeepers escorted me down the long walkway. My boots scuffed against the dirt floor. I bounded up the stairs. So many thoughts flooded into my head, and I had no idea how to process them.

"Give it up for District 7's Tributes!" No one cheered. No one clapped. Everyone kept still. "Now shake hands." Vegas said in a low voice. I reached over to Autumn, a grim smile was on her face. Probably on mine to. She shook my hand and we were whisked into the justice building.

The Justice building was a small place, it sat directly behind the stage. A small flight of stairs led us down to the door. Opening it we were pushed into a room, and the door closed behind us. I could hear the sounds of claws scratching the floor and I knew that Meadow and Birch were here.

"Right in here ma'am." The peacekeeper opened the door, and in came Meadow. I was on my feet, and we were hugging. I could hear her crying. Meadow never cried. She had kept strong for me all these years, and now there was nothing she could do to stop the incoming tragedy. I pulled away. Walking over to Birch I got on one knee for him. I looked him in the eyes, and I started to talk to him, just like I did this morning.

"I'm going to have to leave Birch. I might not come back. You watch over Meadow alright? Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone." My voice was on the verge of tears. Birch buried his head into my stomach, and I picked him up and laid him across my lap. I could hear him whimpering, and soon Meadow was hugging me too. The three of us crouched onto the floor. I did not let myself cry. I wouldn't. The peacekeeper walked in, and Meadow and Birch were pulled off of me.

"I love you guys." I said in a low voice, as they were pulled out of the room. Before the door closed, I could hear Meadow.

"I love you too kid."

I lay on the sofa. Its rough fabric scratched against my skin. I could hear the walking outside, the few families gathering to watch the train leave. Meadow and Birch would be there. Standing below the platform, watching as the train disappeared into the forest. I sat up, and began twisting the bracelet around. I could feel all my emotions swirling inside my head. The door opened once more and the peacekeeper came in once again. I was escorted into the hallway and out the back door onto a large platform. I looked down to all the people below, there were hundreds. People made way for Meadow and Birch who stood in the front. I could spot Sarah in the crowd, tears in her eyes. Once she realized I saw her she shouted, "Win for District 7!" I rolled my eyes. I was useless to her unless it brought her attention. People looked at her with and began to hold three fingers against their lips, then to the sky. I did it back and was shoved into the train entrance. I walked alone through the short hall, and into the first car. It was a dining cart. I stood around looking. There were used plates sitting on the tables. I suspected that I was the last one on the train until I heard Autumn come down the hallway. Once I saw her, she vaguely smiled. I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her. She buried her face into my chest, and I could tell she was crying. The train lurched forward, and District 7 was far away. As she held onto me, I felt like I needed it more than she did. But she let go eventually. Then there I was back at my parent's funeral. Watching their deep mahogany casket become lowered into the ground. Leaving me feeling alone as ever.

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	2. Vanilla, and Rejection

**Hey guise! The train is here! Thank you for reading, and Please Review! I know only like 3 people are reading this but hey, You gotta start somewhere! Stick with me please, I'm trying to get to the games as fast as possible! Review, Review, REVIEW! Buyee!**

I sat in the cart. My feet tapped wildly on the floor. The sun outside shined greatly, my arm was engulfed in its harsh rays. I just tossed my head back against the chair. It was mildly uncomfortable yet I was too lazy to move it. Although the sun outside burned against the side of the train, inside the cold air sent chills down my back. I had no idea how this was possible. The most I found was a small air vent, which cool air flowed through. But where did it come from? It obviously would not have radiated from outside, if so the cart would be humid. Things were very different. The silverware had intricate metal decals that swirled and twisted like smoke rising from the air. The plates were italicized with a gold lace that wrapped around to the back, and repeated to the front. The walls were painted evenly with a deep red that were very smooth. I have never seen anything so, detailed before. Autumn sat ahead of me. Her dark curls were loose, and they seemed to begin to tangle with one another. She held a steady eye to the window that sat on the other side of the room. The sun reflected off of her light skin, and it gave off a soft glow. I sat there admiring her. She seemed to fit where she sat. The expensive furniture and the cleanliness. I probably looked very out of place. A grimy smudge on a clean mirror.

Autumn spoke; her voice drew out, yet kept a very monotone silent sound. "Where is Johanna?" She said standing. I immediately got up to follow her but she waved me off, her eyes were cold and heartless. "I need to talk to her in private." I shrugged, and she walked down the hall. Her footsteps fading into the endless amount of other carts. Once she left I was pulled right back into a vague memory when I was 11.

We were in school; it seemed that the teachers were stricter than our own peacekeepers. We were corralled into the long descent of grass that sat behind our school. Hundreds and hundreds of kids ran and played inside its borders. Laughing, screaming, and some even crying. Most of the attention that our District looks to is to the Grove. The school system was very poor, and kids resorted to writing on the back of can labels as paper. By the end of the year, when pencils ran low, most of our lessons were verbal. Yet kids did not care, they were happy to be with their friends. Be in a public place without the watchful eyes of their parents. But today was different. Many kids felt the tension and pressure from the upcoming reaping. Maybe that was why kids were so volatile that day. In the middle of the grass sat a small circle of cement, which was used as a meeting point for most kids. A group of girls had taken to this place, every single day. Yet I remember looking across the small lawn. Breaking my short attention away from a small ladybug that sat in front of me. I turned to see a boy, his name was Forest Henderson. He was the main bully of the yard. Kids avoided him, and his viscous way led him to eat alone during lunch. Today he had picked another victim. Small Autumn Oaks. Even then she was gorgeous. Her black hair fell to her shoulders, and she wore a light blue dress that slowly faded to white, once it reached the bottom. He was yelling at, and she did her best to ignore him. Yet her steady glances through the corner of her eye told me she was at her breaking point. Forest then proceeded to spit on her. I was at my breaking point to. I walked over to him, and landed a steady fist to the side of his face. He rebounded, and soon we had a full-fledged fight. I had swiftly dodged most of his hits, yet one landed swiftly to my throat. My breathing faltered, and I looked to him. A fist went straight between his two eyes. He fell backwards, and teachers rushed to pull us apart. It was too late. The deed was already done. Autumn thanked me, and when the teachers asked who started it all the kids pointed to Forest. It was almost as meaningful as what the people back at District 7 did when I was boarding this train.

I made my way to the rooming carts. I pulled inside the first empty room. What amazed me was how big it was; even compared to the small train the room seemed to expand from the inside. Walking to the bathroom I went to clean off the steady grime that I felt lay on my skin. In the shower, the water was warm. It was the first time I had ever had such a luxurious shower. There were hundreds of buttons that lined the walls, and experimentally pressing them resulted in my being dowsed by a liquid that smelled of heavy vanilla. I finished the shower, and wrapped the towel around my waist.

I looked in the mirror; my hair was wet, and tossed in hundreds of directions. I had dark brown hair, and dark brown eyes. It seemed that everyone from District 7 had taken these few traits. But every once in a while a child would be found with light blonde hair, and rushing blue eyes. After years and years of, well, Natural Selection one could say, everyone in District 7 somewhat resembled the other. My hands reached for the towel that lay on the counter. I wiped my face, and tried to dry my hair. Yet it just feathered out and twisted and curved into all different directions. I dragged my fingers through my hair pushing the front up, and leaving the back to flow into its regular grain. The shampoo from the shower made my hair feel soft, and gave it a clean shine. It was something that I wasn't used to.

I put the same clothes that I had worn back on. I could smell the aroma of pine needles, and nature very pungently. It comforted me the most. Vegas said that we should be arriving to the Capitol by tomorrow morning, then after that we meet with our stylists, and so on and so forth. The tributes schedules were jam-packed, and any type of interruption would set something back. It was about 5-o-clock, yet I still had not met Johanna. I refrained from the dining car in fear that I would just purge all of the delicacies right back up. Autumn took to her own and seems to be avoiding me since we talked on the train. I could tell she was beginning to space herself out. I would let her, It was her decision if she wanted to create an alliance or not. By 8pm the reaping will be aired for all of Panem to see. I guess I am eager to see who I will be up against.

The train was fun to explore, its various rooms and carts fueled my vigorous curiosity. I made my way to the end of the train and the last cart is just a deck. There is no roof or walls, Just sturdy railing to keep us in. Trying to climb off the train while it was speeding through forests in between districts would result in an electric zap. It reminded me that I was being watched 24/7. The idea unnerved me yet I had to deal with it because there was no easy way around it. I sat on the deck, and just stared out into the vast forests that we were passing. The hundreds of trees were beginning to change during fall. Their iridescent green leaves turned a soft orange hue. The wind flew past my hair causing it to fray into many different directions. I closed my eyes, and tilted my head back on the chair. After a few moments, the smell of salt filled my nose. Opening my eyes I was greeted by a large mass of water. We must have been on the coast of District 4 because the sea seemed to be reaching onto the land, and then receding back into its dark depths. I had never seen such a large amount of water. I have only ever seen small ponds, and maybe a small lake but never this much water. The train tracks began to shift as we pasted them. We went from the soft sand onto virtually nothing. The train track was only held up by large poles that shot up out of the sea.

"It is amazing isn't it?" I heard a voice say behind me. I turned to see a small woman, her hair was cut close to her shoulders, and she wore simple clothing that resembled the ones back home. It was Johanna Mason. "This is fishing bay. It's where the water pulls into the land, and fish come during the winter time. The railroad was built right on top of it. In reality were only held up by these small poles." She pointed to the poles that flew under us. My stomach was beginning to feel uneasy and I retreated back into the carts. Johanna followed behind me.

I stuck out my hand to her, and she softly shook it. "Hi, I'm Aspen Cedars." Her face twisted into a smile,

"Are you Meadow's little brother?" She asked.

"Yeah." I said. What type of relation could Johanna Mason hold with my sister?

"Your sister helped me when I got cut by that axe incident down by the grove. She really knows her stuff." Johanna said lifting up the side of her shirt to reveal a long scar. It was weird how Johanna had taken to me so easily. I thought she would have been tough to develop a relationship with but her persona seems to only scare away the bigger game. She was truly a nice person, and she did what she had to, to survive.

As the clock struck 8 the four of us gathered around the projection on the wall in the dining cart. The sun was going down, and the view from the window was useless. Everything was pitch-black. I sat with a heaping plate of food, from thin wires of potatoes that where fried, to noodles with a red sauce. I ate so vigorously that Vegas moved one seat down from me. Once I realized this I slowed my eating down, and wiped my face more frequently. Autumn and Johanna seemed to hit it off, they kept steady talks about the politics of District 7. On this subject I knew nothing. I only knew as much as Mrs. Oak would slip when she answered the door.

"Now, I want you to keep a keen eye on your competitors. Size up who you could possibly be allies with. And who you have to watch for. Just keep in mind that people may be not what they seem."

As the intro began to play, I paid close attention. Ceasar Flickerman's hair was the headline of The Hunger Games Staff. It was a new color every year, and it intrigued the capitol residents to find a new hue of a flamboyant color deriving from his head. He began talking, and the room grew silent.

"Welcome, Welcome! We are being broadcasted live through Panem tonight!" After some banter with his co-host, he began. "Now without further suspense, here are the Reapings!" They cut to the footage from the first District, bold lettering at the bottom of the screen said 'District 1 – Luxury'. It started with their escort, picking the name, and calling the girl first. A small dainty girl rushed up to the stage, swinging her arms as she walked, with a big grin on the side of her face. Her hair was cut to her shoulder-line and her bangs were swiped away from her face. The boy was called, and a massive boy walked onto the stage. He was easily over six feet tall, he was bulky, and the two exchanged a look that told the audience that they would be in a firm alliance. District 1 looked somewhat difficult this year. The girl obviously hiding that she is a vigorous killer. The way she carried herself seemed so awkward and unnatural.

They cut to District 2 which was Masonry. District 2 held home advantage in the Hunger Games. Their children were trained in schools that we equipped with all types of weapons imaginable. The name was called and a tall lengthy blonde girl waltzed up to the stage. She looked relatively nervous, yet she kept a warm smile to the audience. She held auburn colored hair, and she was pale. From a close up she had scars on her arms, and legs. Probably wounds from their training center. It led me to wonder how violent is their training? Another name was called and another tall dark haired boy walked forward. His arms were also scarred. He gave a cold glance into the cameras and I could feel chills run down my arms.

In between the Reapings Cesear Flickerman and his lesser famous co-host Ronald Hartman would give their commentary. I tried not to listen yet the things they said about the tribute were useful. They gave stats about the tributes, where they lived, and what they would bet on them.

District 4's reaping was very dramatic, and yet very tragic. A Boy was reaped, he had short blonde hair that stuck to his forehead, and a small twelve years old was called. A tiny little girl with golden curls that twisted tight around her head. Before the girl could make it to the stairs, a loud yell was heard. And the cameras zoned into a girl in the audience, who had her hand raised high in the air. She walked to the stage and said something quickly to the little girl. She understood and walked back to her place in the 12's section. The boy gave the girl a grim look, the Capitol edited in a clip from before the reaping where the boy and girl kissed. They were a couple, and tragically they both had to fight to the death. I knew the Capitol would eat this up. They would be raining with sponsors.

District 5 seemed to hold the only group of younger kids. They reaped two fourteen year olds. The boy had short black hair that loosely flowed away from his head, and the girl had long black hair. Both of them resembled the other but their contending last names made it difficult for me to determine whether they were related. Both of them having a shocked look on their faces. The Hunger Games was no place for the smaller kids.

Then finally we came across District 7's Reapings. I listened keenly to the commentary that Ceasar was giving. It started with a pan out of the trees of the forest, and the cameras focused in overhead to the stage in the clearing. Everyone looked so jumbled and nervous. Most kid's walked around looking for a way to pass the time. They showed Vegas, on the stage walking over to the bowl with the girl's names. When she said Autumn's name, they quickly got a shot of the Mayor. Ronald commented about how Autumn was the Mayor's eldest daughter. Autumn let out a noise when they commented on how 'light' she looked. Then they called my name. Shockingly, I looked way more confident than I felt when my name was called. My hands were in my pockets, and I gave steady nods to the people sitting on the stage.

"My oh my, He must be the Heart-throb from District 7." One of the hosts said. Why would they say that? To me I was just normal old Aspen. I have always been the same. Girls at school never paid any more attention to me than they did any other guy. They cut to the scene where Sarah yelled while I was walking onto the train, and they held three fingers in the sky. They did the same when Autumn was shoved into the train entrance. Then they cut to the train leaving, and disappearing into the forest.

I focused on a small fly that sat on the window that was next to me. It vigorously rubbed its hands together. I was lost in my thoughts for the moment. _Why would they say that? Do I really look attractive to the Capitol? Will they make that my angle?_

I looked back to the screen to realize that I missed several reapings.

District 9 reaped a tall olive skinned girl, with dark hair that flowed in waves down her back. She had a weathered look on her face. The boy was the same, yet he was much smaller. I found that each District held a certain set of traits.

District 10 had two sixteen year olds. They seemed to study everything around them. They smiled and gave no sign of fear of what was going to happen next.

In District 11 there a small dark skinned girl that was very short. She was 15. Then the boy was a muscular olive colored boy, with light brown hair. He had freckles and he seemed to be familiar with the girl.

Lastly, there was District 12. A tall bronze skinned boy with gray eyes took to the stage, along with a tall thin girl with the same attributes. They kept their distance from one another.

They concluded and the projection faded from the wall. Johanna adjusted her attention to us, and began to talk with a certain importance that we listened.

"This year has a lot of older kids. Both of you need to make sure that you at least try to find an alliance. A lesson that I learned was near the end, leave while you can. Some alliances can turn ugly." Johanna motioned to the both of us. "It will be up to you if you want to be in an alliance with each other."

Autumn looked blankly ahead. She seemed to be going through her options in her head. Why would she have to think this through? We were obviously going to be in an alliance. But her reluctance to answer the question made me wait for her response.

"No. I'm going to figure it out myself." Autumn said in a flat tone. I felt something drop inside of me. I kept a mutual face, and said nothing. Autumn looked to me for some type of response, yet I kept quiet. If she didn't want me around then I wouldn't be around. I felt the same empty feeling like the time Sarah rejected me. _I was disposable._

Johanna felt the tense mood in the room, and dismissed the both of us. She said Vegas and her had something's to work out then.

I felt my feet quickly pace ahead of Autumn. She tried to keep pace with me but I knew that once I made it to the rooming carts she would be stopped in her tracks. She stayed close behind me as I tried to increase my pace even faster.

"Aspen" she said, I felt her hand come to my shoulder. But it was too late. I brushed her hand away, and pulled myself into one of the rooms in the cart. Closing the door loudly, and turning off the light. I felt my way to the bed, and just stared out the window. Only able to see the outlines of trees that sat in the path of the train. Once I heard Autumn's footsteps lead away down the hall, I buried my face into the pillow, and wished for sleep. I hadn't realized the days toll on me because I sleeping in minutes.


	3. When the leaves change colors

**Hey guise! So I am here, I literally took me all weekend to finish this, sorry for the wait. I just found out that Twilight won over the Hunger Games for Movie of the Year. -. - I'm over life, anyway please review! No one has reviewed this and I literally only have like 10 views. I feel like all my hard work is going to waste #authorproblems. Love you guys, thanks for reading. Please Review!**

I was running. I could tell by my feet hitting the ground abruptly. The sole of my foot seemed to hammer into every rock, root, or another type of wild growth. I could feel the deep humidity rushing past my face. I dodged vines, and trees. I was in a Jungle. I had read about them in in school. My mind telling me to keep running. That if I did negative things would arise. So I did. Everything was slowing down now. My feet took a longer time to hit the ground, and I realized I was doing things in slow motion. This must have been a dream. I slowly swiveled my head. It felt like a huge resistance prevented my head to look behind me at a normal pace. Chasing me, were some faces that seemed vaguely familiar. Someone told me that in our dreams no faces are made up. We merely reach far back into the memories of our mind, and take some subtle faces that we had encountered the day prior. My feet kept running, and I turned back around. I would figure out who they were later. Right now I had to get away. Finally, the trees cleared and I came to a sheer cliff. It peaked, and dropped into an ocean. The three people were chasing me, but once their feet hit the dirt that descended from the cliff I had already jumped. I could feel the wind whistling past my ears. Then I could feel the cold splash of water as it soaked the clothes I was wearing. I closed my eyes as I expected the sheer impact of water to flood into my eyes, but once I opened them I was in a different place.

This place felt more real. More likely it was real. I deeply inhaled, and stretched against the sheets that tangled in between my arms and legs. I laid my arms above my head and observed the contents around me. A modern smooth window sat on the left side of me. Letting the sun infiltrate into my bed. I sat and watched the dust particles dance in the soft morning rays. I was tired, but I knew that I was probably late for whatever I was doing today. I could hear footsteps down the hallway. Pulling my feet over the side of the bed, I lifted myself. I could feel the soft comforting touch of the carpet that lay underneath. I was surprised that I got any sleep last night. Ever since I was a boy, I could never sleep in a bed that was not my own. It was an uncomfortable habit that I developed. Now I was forced to adjust. I wondered what Meadow was doing right now. Maybe Birch slept at the edge of my bed as he did to mine. It was an unusual thought. Birch and Meadow kept their distance. Meadow disliked how his hair would be left wherever he sat. He shed like crazy. I felt a pang in my stomach and remembered my last conversation with them. I was becoming emotional, and I knew if I kept thinking like this I would become viscous to anyone who tried to converse with me. I neglected the shower. I felt dragged. Literally. I feel as though someone has dragged me through the dense forests that lay around District 7. A simple outfit was laid out for me. It sat folded neatly on top of the dresser. I unfolded the clothes and examined them. They were plain, and comfortable. A light green T-shirt with a pocket that lay over the chest and khaki colored jeans. I pulled the collar to my eye, and read the label. The name Capitol Couture was inscribed in a shiny gold just above the hemming of the collar. The capitol logo followed. I put on the clothes, accompanied by a pair of brown shoes that sat next to the doorway. I slipped into the bathroom, and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked tired the skins beneath my eyes were slightly discolored. I pulled my hair back, running my fingers through the tangle of roots. I disliked the plain look of my hair. It was wiry and if it came into any contact of water the hair on the back of my head would stand up. I pressed down on them. Hoping that they would reside. I heard a knock on the door, and in entered a tall slender boy. He looked in his early twenties. He had slick black hair that was parted and laid in a routine direction. He wore a dark red colored shirt and black formal pants. I was confused. _Why would someone be entering my room?_ Although it was not until the boy began making the bed. He was an avox. I turned away, I felt it was not right to stare. Yet from the corner of my eye I watched him. I wondered why he was an avox in the first place. He closely resembled the two kids from District 5 that had dark black hair, and brown colored eyes. I exited the bathroom, and began to leave.

"Thank you." I said. The avox turned and slightly nodded. I walked into the hall, the door slowly closed behind me. The hall that connected the carts was intricate. Gold floor baseboards accented the deep red walls. They were the same color as the Avox's shirt. Hundreds of windows ran one side of the wall. I watched as we sped through steep mountains. A thin sheath of snow lay on top of the rocks. I walked at an angle down the hallway due to the steep hill that the train was rolling on. The Capitol must be in a relatively hard place to get to. I walked straight to the dining cart. From last night, it returned to its clean formal look. The food on the table had also changed. Lines and lines of formal metal dishes held food that was vaguely familiar. Eggs, Bread, Toast. I didn't feel hungry at all. I grabbed a soft roll from one of the pans, and just felt the warmth between my hands. It was a soft golden brown. I tore the bread apart, and watched as the steam that was trapped swirl and twist up into the air. I took one bite, and then devoured the rest in seconds. I grabbed another and did the same. I heard soft footsteps come down the room, and saw Johanna and Vegas walk in. Johanna's short hair was wet, and pulled away from her face into a short ponytail. Vegas wore a plethora of clothing. Her hair was different today. It was not as long. It stuck close to her head. Her blonde wavy hair seemed to cling together and fold and wave at random. I wondered how much time she spent on her appearance. Back at District 7, we wore what would be most comfortable for us to work in. Vegas wore a blazer that was covered with rectangular studs. Underneath she wore a black dress that had fallen to her knees. The only thing that was the same about Vegas was her mahogany colored skin that was covered by sheen of plastic. I greeted both of them. They took seats on the other sofa.

"We should be coming up on the Capitol in the next hour or so. Oh you are just going to love it there; they have everything imaginable right at your fingertips!" Vegas continued her fingers were intertwined together. "Now once we get there you will be taken to the Stylists. They will begin to work with you, after that we have a photo-shoot, then we must hurry to the…." But I didn't listen. I just faded back into my thoughts. I could tell that all Vegas is trying to do is help us, but I her authenticity about the whole situation just throws me out of the loop.

"Aspen!" I swiveled my head back to her. Her lips were pressed in a fine line; her eyes stared into my own.

"What?" I said, probably sounding colder than I intended to.

"I asked if you knew where Autumn is."

"I haven't seen her since last night."

"She's probably in her room still." Johanna said. "When I first came on the train I just wanted to lie in my bed until the Games began. But I mean that's not the attitude that we all should be taking."

"Yes, Upbeat and Positive wins us sponsors, not sad droopy kids. Just like those kids from 65." She nudged and elbow at Johanna but she kept a serious face.

"That's not what I'm saying. Giving up before this whole thing began will just ensure you a violent death in the arena. You have to prepare yourself."

I felt the train begin to slow down, and I knew we have arrived to the Capitol. I stood up, and looked out the window that bordered the side of the train. I recognized this place, We were in the Arrival Station, it was a special place only tributes have used. Yet that did not discourage the thousands among thousands of people to crowd into the large building. My first impression from the Capitol was that it was so clean. Everything shined, even the trash cans. I looked among the people who eagerly waited in the crowd. The citizen's apparel did not let me down. Most of the women wore huge headpieces that resembled bows. But they were folded in another way that led me to believe that was not what it was. Most of their outfits were a bright color. A variety of Pinks, Blues, and Greens. Once they caught sight of me it sent the crowd into an uproar. People's arms were thrown into the air. I could hear the chanting and cheering through the thick windows. A door opened down the hall. Vegas walked ahead of me, and motioned me.

"I'll get Autumn." Johanna said, walking to the living cart.

"Now keep a smile, wave and shake hands. Try to be as polite as possible." Vegas adjusted my shirt, and opened the door. It was louder than I expected. I kept a huge smile on my face. A small path that was made was loitered with hands and arms. I began walking and grabbed as many people's hands as I could. I waved to the people that stood near the back of the crowd, and even blew a kiss to a girl who was freaking out at the sight of me. We went into a small building, which the pathway led to. A fat lady sat behind the desk. She looked over to Vegas, then to me.

"Where?" She said with a thick Capitol accent.

"Tribute Tower." Vegas said handing her a ticket. Tribute tower was where everything took place Pre-Hunger Games. It was one of the largest buildings in Panem. It held everything that was needed to happen before the Games. A rectangular pod came down from a track that was vertical. The woman walked over unlatched the gate, and walked us into the box. I looked to Vegas and she gave me an assuring nod. I walked in behind her. And a glass door closed behind me. I looked back into the room. It was about 5 yards all around. We stood there, I wondered what would happen next, and the box began to move. We moved up the wall, and into the open. From what I could tell this was almost like a chair lift. We hung from a metal latch that shook us once in a while. Once were reached the top of the wall the metal latched into place and I looked around to the Capitol. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen, Buildings, and buildings as far as my eyesight would let me see. What took me by surprise was the lack of any type of natural growth. There was not a tree in sight. The lift let out a loud noise, and we zoomed through the air. Taking abrupt turns that left our lift swinging wildly. Vegas held onto the railing and just stared out the glass admiring her city. I must have been bewildered from the look of amusement from her face when she turned to me. After a long ride we finally landed at the lobby of Tribute Tower. My feet felt shaken once I took steps on the ground. The lobby was a nice place. It was decorated like the Capitol; I had no time to take in its views because I was pushed into the elevator.

"I have no idea where Autumn is, Were going to be late!" Vegas stomped her foot, and pressed a button. I could feel the floor below me drop, but It was much better than the lift. I heard several bells for each floor that we passed. We finally made it to our floor and Vegas violently pushed me out of the way. A small group of people were already lined at the door. They each had something different about them. One had green skin, and another had blue, and the last one had a purple tone. They grabbed my hand and rushed me into the room. The room was small considering all the large buildings that I witnessed coming to the Capitol. The walls were lined with bottles, and jars all holding something different. One wall was a large mirror. A table lined the front of it, and a chair sat lazily. On the other side of the room was a bed that had a huge light beaming down onto it. Surrounded by various tools.

My prep-team consisted of three enthusiastic women. In my head I reoffered to them by the color of their skin. They corralled me into the chair and introduced themselves.

"Hello! I am Zodiac! I am in charge of hair!" Her hair was cut close to her head. She wore a lab coat that was a bright green.

"Hello, I'm Rula. I will be in charge of skin!" This unnerved me; if this woman's skin was blue then I wondered what color they would make my own skin.

"Hi I am Faun. I will be in charge of the surgical part." The pink one said in a thick Capitol accent. The way people spoke differentiated between the Districts and the Capitol. The Capitol pronunciations were different on different vowels compared to our own. They stressed the sounds of letters that would only become swift slurs back at home. I noticed that the District residents do things out of getting things done quicker. The Capitol did things that were just for the heck of it.

The session with the prep team consisted of them scrubbing every ounce of my body. I was very uncomfortable. Then they took to their own. Zodiac dragged a comb through my hair, causing loose hairs to fly down to the ground. She doused my hair in all kinds of dyes, and gels, and finished it off with some stuff called Hair Spray. Rula locked me into a box that had hundreds of light bulbs. I stood still and it felt like I was on fire. My skin on my arms turned a darker shade. Then finally it was Faun's turn. To me this was the most interesting. I was strapped to the bed where she shone the light into my mouth. I could feel a drill smoothing away at my teeth. Then she made me gargle a nasty mix of a pink fluid that vaguely tasted of strawberries. It tasted like mold to me. Finally, she grabbed a small metal tool; it looked almost like a flashlight.

"Now this will only hurt for a second alright?" She held the light to my cornea and I could feel a soft burn, then it was overtaken by a tingling feeling. She did the same to my other eye. Once they finished the prep team parted and disappeared through the doors.

After several minutes, Vegas walked in. Along with a short younger woman. Her white hair was cut abruptly at her forehead, and it fell to her shoulders. She wore a black dress that stuck close to her body. Vegas was ecstatic to see how I looked.

"You look marvelous!" She swiveled the chair I was sitting in, away from the mirror.

"I want you to be surprised." Luckily, I had not seen my reflection. I was too busy in my own thoughts. About home and what not. The women held out her hand. I shook it.

"Hello, My name is Glamour. I am your clothes stylist."

"Nice to meet you." I said.

"Now we have to get you prepped for the photo-shoot, then for the Welcoming Ceremony." I remembered the Welcoming Ceremony from the Hunger Games from many years prior. It was a elegant event that was held for the tributes in the President Mansion. It pretty much just kicked off the Hunger Games.

Vegas and Glamour talked as I stood on a small podium in the middle of the room.

"Let's make him look natural, not too much." Glamour said. Vegas shook her head inventively. Johanna must be with Autumn. I wondered what she would be wearing. "Alright, I've got it. Let's keep it plain, and down to the point for the photo-shoot."

Vegas turned me around, and I looked at myself in the mirror. I held no resemblance to my old self. My deep dark black hair was dyed a light brown. My skin was a slight pigment darker. My teeth were a bright white. The most astonishing thing about me was my new eyes. My dark brown color was changed to a vibrant green. I wore a white shirt that had three buttons that descended from the neckline. I wore a dark brown pair of jeans, and white shoes that seemed to gleam brightly.

"Spectacular!" Vegas said. I was shocked to see my different appearance. I had always referred my brown eyes and dark hair as a trait that I would remember for District 7, but it was too far now. I was doing things that would help me survive. Vegas walked to the door, and motioned me to follow. I waved a goodbye to Glamour and walked with her. He walked through a maze of tunnels, and doors until we made it to where we were supposed to be. Walking into the room I was overtaken by how extravagantly huge it is. I could barely take my feet off the floor. I walked slowly behind Vegas. Staring around in the room. It must be the photography room. We walked pasted several sets already. For each District they replicated a scene from where they were from. These sets were extravagant and went into mass detail. Hundreds and Hundreds of cameras lined the outsides of the scenes. I walked past District 1-6's sets. Both tributes would take pictures at the same set.

District 1 looked as if it really were outside. Artificial lights gleamed off of the marble water fountain. The clouds moved seamlessly into the background, and buildings and buildings faded off into the fake distance. It all looked so real.

District 2's set was less elegant but showed the more tough side of the District. Their set consisted of almost a metal workplace. A large fire seemed to blaze in the background, and in the middle stood an iron table. It held a sword that's tips were a bright orange from being set ablaze. Various weapons lined the wall. The girl from that District already was taking her picture. Her hair was a golden brown that was pulled back into a tight ponytail. She held a fierce face to the camera. Sitting on the bench that lined the walls.

District 3's replicated almost an energy mill. Tall beams stood over the ground that was connected by thin wires. Every few seconds electricity would flow from one pole to another.

District 4's put me in awe. They made an artificial shore line. The water would push up into the sand, then recede back. In the back of the set sat a sunset that gave the clouds an orange hue. The set gave the illusion that a large wooden dock was outstretched into the water.

District 5's was by far the most intricate. The male tribute stood in a lab; he wore a white lab coat and khaki jeans. He pretended to turn dials on the walls of buttons and switches that lined the outer edge of the set.

District 6's seemed to be interesting. It was a train station. A red train pretended to be speeding by. The sky was a light blue, and she stood on a long wooden podium as the she took pictures. She wore a scarf and the artificial wind blew it in the direction that the train was passing by. It looked by far way too clean and elegant to be the actual District 6.

Finally, We made it to our set. It was absolutely stunning. It was a forest, with real trees, and a small stream that flowed into the waterfall. The ground was rigid, and unleveled just like the real forest back at home. The floor was crowded with leaves and pine needles. The backdrop made it look as if the forest stretched for miles apart. The photographer walked over to me, a camera hanging from his next.

"How you doing today?" he asked, I opened my mouth to respond but I realized that he did not need a response to continue. "Now just look natural, smile. Remember that you don't always have to make eye contact with the camera. Now have fun with it and the rest will follow through." As they did the final preparations the set, I sat on a chair that sat next to the outskirts of the District 7 area.

I heard a shrill yelp and turned my head to see Vegas clapping her hands. "Thank you so much sir!" The man handed her a small leash, and my eyes trailed it to see a small deer. It was real. I stood up and slowly walked to it.

"What is this?" I asked. Vegas gave me a excited smile and continued.

"It's one of the 'props' delivered right from District 7 this morning." Vegas petted its head. "This will give our photos the edge. The deer smelled the ground, and vaguely reminded me of Birch. The deer was a plethora of colors. It was a black and brown color. And housed white spots that traveled down its back.

"Aspen Cedars to the set." I heard, and quickly walked onto the set. The deer walked next to me. I took to the center. The deer just took onto its own smelling the floor.

"Are you ready?" The photographer said. I nodded. The first flash began. It seemed to go by so quick. I smiled and naturally walked around the set. Crouching by the stream, or sitting on the forest floor. At one point the deer walked over to me. I leaned over and put on finger under its chin, and looked it in the eyes. _That picture must have been golden_ I thought. I heard footsteps, and I looked over to see Autumn, and Johanna. At first I emitted a large grin to Autumn, until I realized what had happened the night prior.

"All Right! I'm pretty sure that will be enough." I exited from the stage, and back to the waiting seats. That sat in front of the set. I watched as Autumn took her place in the Forest. She gracefully held onto trees. She kept a solid Distance from the deer. She looked stunning. Her hair had been pulled back into a loose ponytail. She wore a white dress that had a brown belt at her waist. It fell to her knees. The photographer commented throughout their whole session. It made me unsure if I was doing it right.

"Just amazing. You're done." The session concluded. I walked over to Johanna. Several crew members descended upon the deer. The threw a blanket over its head, and sent a shot into its side.

"What are they doing?" I asked urgently.

"Getting rid of it."

"But how can they do th-"

"Aspen let it go. These people have no more use for it. The quicker you learn to cut your losses the better off you will be."

I looked to the deer one last time. It was wrapped in a blanket. Its eyes were cold and desolate. I knew it was dead. There was nothing I could do to save it.

All of us gathered around the computer. We were seeing the pictures that were going to be broadcasted to Panem. They sifted through all the pictures and picked the best two. They showed Autumn's first. The first picture was of her arm wrapped around a tree. She was looking down biting her lip. The deer stood next to her its face looking into the camera. The people edited them so it looked like the light caught us just right. Her second picture was of her. Sitting on the forest floor. She held a white azalea in her hands. She looked into the camera, slightly tuning her head. She looked so graceful. They pressed a button and they showed my picture. The first one was me with the deer. I stood near the waterfall, and I was leaned over to the deer. Its head was crooked up to my own. I stifled a smile. It was a lot better than I imagined it being. The next picture was a picture that I didn't remember posing for. The had zoomed into my profile. It was my chest and up. I could see my smile was surreal. My eyes seemed to light up. Then I remembered when they took this picture. It was when I first saw Autumn. Vegas noticed this too and she nudged me. I gave her a slight smile that disappeared into a thin line. I felt like me and Vegas had created a bond today. Autumn took to Johanna and I took to Vegas. I guess I had to come to terms with Autumn not being my ally. Maybe that was something that everyone had to do.

The Welcoming Ceremony started at 7 this evening. I asked Johanna to go more into detail, but she just shrugged me off.

"It's just dancing and eating, and watching President Snow gives his speech. Really it is just a time for the tributes to mingle between other Districts. If you wanted to start an alliance then that's the place to do it."

During the meantime we were shown our floor in the Tribute Tower. Glamour gave me a set of clothes that I would wear tonight. She told me not to mess up my hair, or get dirty. All four of us gathered into an elevator. Autumn took a spot relatively close to me but, I flattened myself against the wall. If Autumn wanted to cut ties, then they were cut. I could figure out how to win the Hunger Games on my own. Johanna and Vegas conversed about the new changes around Tribute Tower. I tuned out the conversation, and was more worried about Autumn. She kept giving me steady glances. As if she wanted to say something. I just examined the shiny buttons that were on the elevator. Once we were at our floor Vegas pushed out in front of us.

"This is where you will be staying for your pre-games. All of us need to be ready by 6:50. Pick your rooms in the meantime." Johanna and Vegas fumbled around the hallways. I could tell they both already have claimed rooms. I ventured down the hall. Only two rooms left. I opened the door to one room to find, a huge bed that sat under hundreds of lanterns that hung from walls. I walked to the other room. It seemed to fit me better. It was a smaller room. The side of the room that faced the outside of the tower was replaced with a larger window. It took up the entire wall. Across from the window sat a small bed that was tucked in the corner of the room. In the dead center of the room sat a couch. Across from that was a TV. The walls were a soft brown color, and the carpet was a solid white. I reached for my wrist and realized that I forgot my bracelet on the train. My heart began to beat fast, and I started to hyperventilate. I looked around the room, maybe someone brought to here. But no, I searched endless empty drawers. I looked under the bed, in my shoes, in my pockets. But it was nowhere to be found. I sighed and looked out the window. Hundreds of people filled the streets, parading into buildings, and riding in cars. The Capitol seemed to stretch on even to the sunset. I heard a soft knock on the door.

"Come in." Autumn slightly opened the door. I could see her face peer in. I took note of the alterations that they made to her. Her eyes were a light hazel. She now had freckles that started below her eyes. They did not become to overpowering, they just accented her facial features. Her cheekbones were more prominent. Her hair was left the same dark charcoal color. Her nails had been painted a light green.

"I found this on the train." She said, holding a bracelet in between her fingers. I could feel the blood rush to my face. I was so relieved. I walked over to her and hugged her. Her arms wrapped around my neck.

"Thank you. I completely thought I lost it." She dropped the bracelet in my hand, and I quickly retracted it onto my wrist.

"You left, and the Avox came. He gave this to me."

"Umm Thanks for looking out for me." Autumn took this a different way than I meant it. Her eyes dropped to the floor.

"You're welcome." Autumn said, receding back into the hallway and into her room.

The clothes that were left for me were again simple. I put on the light green button up shirt, rolling up the sleeves to my forearms. I tucked in the shirt, and was given a pair of dark brown suspenders. My jeans were a dark black that clung loosely to my legs. My shoes were somewhat formal; they were a brown that had beige shoe laces. Once I finished dressing, I sat down on the couch, and ravaged through the hundreds and hundreds of channels. I stopped at one particular channel that was called 'Tribute Watch'. I sat in amusement as a women reported on all things about the Tributes from the Hunger Games. They began a round table discussion with a few other people that went on about what they think about the newest tributes.

"Now, District 7's Autumn Oaks and Aspen Cedars. " They edited in the pictures from our photo-shoot this morning. Side by side. The one of me smiling when I saw Autumn, and Autumn when she was hanging on the tree. "I might suggest that these two could be a group of fighters this year."

"Alright everyone let's not beat around the bush." One of the younger girls said on the table, she had blonde hair that was in a bun. "He is very ravishing."

"Yes, He could be another Finnick!"

"Yes, I remember him, the heartthrob from District 7!"

"Wait a minute you can't size her out, look at those cheekbones. She is a natural born model!"

The people went on and on about our looks, and how they would sponsor us if they see what they like.

"But the true question is...Can they fight?" I smirked to myself. The Capitol has another thing coming if they think I won't go down with a fight.

The President's Mansion was spectacular. It was absolutely massive compared to my old home. Hundreds of people lined the outside, waiting for the hope of attending one of the most elegant parties ever thrown. We rode in a long car, it was a shiny black, and the windows were tinted so people on the outside could not view the inside. We were escorted into the mansion by peacekeepers. The four of us seemed to all take to our separate ways once we were inside. The ceilings of the main room were very high. Long chandeliers hung from the ceiling illuminating the gold room. The walls were painted a sheen gold, and the carpet was a made of almost crystals. I looked around, there was a large buffet. But I did not feel hungry myself. I walked to the main floor. Tables and chairs lined the perimeter of the floor. Several people were already dancing on the floor. Yet they danced in a different way. Not like the way Autumn was dancing when I first met her, but it was two people who were spinning and taking short steps away and then closer to each other. I looked around seeing familiar faces. I could tell who was with whom. The careers seemed to have already formed an alliance, all of them smiling conversing with each other. The table consisted of the tributes from District 1, 2, and 4. It was a rather large group. Six people could become a little much. I also noticed another group forming. It was the tributes from 12, and 11. They would form an alliance. As I walked around, I noticed that they kept making motions to me. Finally they approached me all in a group.

"Hi, my name is Thread." A boy held out his hand and I shook it. "This is Lucas, Nia, and-"

"Hi, my name is Memory." A girl that was dark haired and grey eyed held out her hand. I gently shook it. She flashed a quick smile, and intently looked into my eyes." Thread ignored her greeting and continued. "We want you to be in our alliance." He pointed to the other people standing in the group. "It's only us four, and we want to round it off with one more person. We know we haven't reached training but I mean if we help each other out maybe we could make it that much farther in the games."

I thought about this. I guess I could use the extra help. The two guys looked as though they could cause some serious damage. They girls too. I weighed my options and remembered what Johanna told me.

"I'm not sure."

It was Nia who spoke. "Look if it comes down to it, and the gong is sounded and you want to join our group then that's alright. I understand if you want to keep loose bonds. We will have open arms until you're ready." I was glad they understood. I had until the games to decide whether If I was in or not. They took their seats but Memory still remained.

"Do you want to dance?" I smiled to her. She was a precious girl. She was not as stunning as Autumn but she made up for it with her personality.

"Sure." I held out the crook of my arm and we walked to the dance floor. She wore a thin dress that was a soft blue color.

"I don't know how to dance." I told her, I was embarrassed when she tried to move her feet around mine.

"Here back in 12 we would do this all the time. Now just step here, and spin me after you step here..." After a couple of tries I got into a routine. She was moving with the soft classical music. It reminded me of what my mother would play during her free time. We danced until a small bell rang. Both of us were laughing, and talking that we were almost enveloped in our own world. Her hair was cut by her neck; her bangs fell against her forehead. She had a birthmark on her collar bone that resembled a heart. The bell rang us from our infatuation, and looking around we realized that we were the only ones still dancing. As the blood rushed to my face, Memory curtsied for all the viewers, and Johanna shot a what-are-you-doing look to me. I shrugged, and we walked into the crowd of people that lined the floor. I stood next to Memory, I felt comfortable with her. More than I did with Autumn.

President Snow took his place on the Balcony. He gave a short speech on how strong our nation has become. How we have been making feverish progress. At the end of his speech he stared right into the camera and said. "Let the games begin."

With that people began filing out of the room. I said my goodbyes to Memory and she hugged me. Autumn kept quiet on the way back to Tribute Tower. Once we went home I slipped into the bed, not even caring to wash away the grime from today. But it was okay. I actually enjoyed myself. I fell asleep trying to figure out whether my new allies were trustworthy or not. But who knows. It's the Hunger Games for heaven's sake.


End file.
